Aeroplane



June 25, 1929. c, J, WAGNER AEROPLANE Filed Feb. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR .'Jg'ze ATTORNEY Patente'd June Z5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHAR-LES J'. WAGNER, 0F COUSINS, NEW MEXICO.

.AEROPLANE The invention relates to the art of aeronautics and particularly to aeroplanes.

Primarily it has for its object to provide an aeroplane with wing sections which can be folded back parallel with and close to the body, thereby to reduce the space necessary to store the plane on ship board or in hangars, the invention being applicable both to land and sea planes.

Again, it is an object to provide an aeroplane with a stationary wing portion of sulficient spread to sustain the machine at the time of landing and with movable wing sections which can be folded back along the body while landing to reduce the side tilting hazards and to make it possible to land at lower speeds than formerly.

Further, it is an object to provide an aeroplane with wings having folding sections which can be manipulated and or locked and unlocked by the aviator within the cockpit.

Further, it is an object to provide an aeroplane with wings having central stationary or iiXed sections and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes and with means whereby the ,side sections may be swung out or extended into transverse alignment with the central section and securely locked, or be swung back parallel with the chassis and within the over-all width of the central section.

Other obj ects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an aeroplane with my invention applied.

Figure 2 is a plan view with the wings eX- tended, the central portion of the wingsrbeing shown in horizontal section.

Figure 3 is a front edge elevation of the wings, the outer extremities of the foldable section being broken away.

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section showing the position of the parts when the wing are folded back.

Figure 5 is a detail vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 represents the body of an ordinary aeroplane (the construction of the aeroplane aside from the wings being no part of my invention). 2 indicates the main supports for the wings and these supports sustain the central wing section 3 rigidly in place above the body. The central wing section comprises a lower surface 4, an upper surface 5 and a front filler strip 6 which spaces the upper and lower surfaces 5 and 4 apart.

The side sections 7 of the wings are pivoted at 8 to the central section 3 and have gear sectors 9 located within the central wing section 3 to mesh with the intermeshed gears 12 and 13 located within the central wing section 3. Each side wing-section 7 is provided with a front stop edge 10 and a rear stop edge 11 for purposes presently made clear.

One of the intermeshing gears (12) is provided with an operating shaft 14 while the other (13) is mounted on a stub shaft 15. The operating shaft 14 may be turned by a lower handle 16 beneath the body by someone on the ground (this being especially adapted for large planes) and there may be provided in the cockpit a suitable bracket 17 in which is mounted an operating crank 18 that is connected with the shaft 14 by means of bevelled gears 19 so that the aviator himself may manipulate the side wing sections if desired.

In order to hold the side wing sections in extended alignment with the central section, I provide a pair of locking arms 20, one of which is mounted on an operating shaft 21 and the other on a pivot 27, the locking arms 2O having intermeshing gear sectors 23 as shown. A crank 22 is provided by which the shaft 21 may be turned by the aviator.

In order to hold the arms in their laterally extended positions where they function to secure the side wing sections in their extended positions, I provide those arms with holes 24 to receive locking screws 25 which are threaded into threaded openings 26 in the upper and lower surfaces 4 and 5 of the central wing section 3. When the screws 25 are unscrewed to bring their upper end s below the plane of the arms 20 so as to be out of the holes 24, those arms will be free to be moved on their pivots 2l and 27.

Brackets 28 project from the sides of the body and are connected to the wing sections 7 by extension braces 29, the latter being pivoted to the brackets 28 at 30 on axes coincident with the pivotal axes 8 of the wings.

If desired, the locking screws 25 may be manipulated from the cockpit by providing them with a suitable operating interconnection 31 (as sprocket and chain) with al control handle 32 in convenient reach of the aviator so that if he desires to fold back his wings as soon as he touches ground he can unlock the arms 20, swing them backwardly and leave the wings free to be turned backwardly on manipulation of the crank 18.

It will be seen that with my connection when the wings are in the extended position the front edge is unbroken from tip to tip and thus offers no appreciable air resistance to retard the flight of the machine.

Further, when the side sections of the wings are folded back the pivotal ends will not be projected outside the confines of the central wing section and thus there will be no likelihood of their becoming broken.

Frein the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which drawing is illustrative only, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

It should be understood that in the practi- Ial application of the invention the pivot bolts 8 will be headed and nutted in such fashion as to reduce wind resistance to the lowest point.

What I claim is:

1. In an aeroplane having a body, supporting wings comprising a. centrally disposed rigid wing section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central wing section for connecting saidside sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, and means disposed within the central wing section to lock said side sections in transverse alignment.

2. In an aeroplane having a body, supporting wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes` means enclosed within said central section for connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an eX- tended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, and means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, said cent-ral section comprising upper and lower surfaces between which the inner ends of said side sections lie and are pivoted, a front filler stri p between said upper' and lower surfaces constituting an abutment for said side wing sections when they are laterally extended.

3. In an aeroplane having a body, supporting wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central section for connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison` means cooperatingl with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, said locking means comprising locking arms pivoted to the central section of the wings and adapted to lie transversely thereof as an abutment for said side wing sections when they are laterally extended, and locking devices for securing said arms iinmovably.

Ll. In an aeroplane having a body, supporting wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central section for connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, said locking means comprising locking arms pivoted to the central section of the wings and adapted to lie transversely thereof as an abutment for said side wing sections when they are laterally extended, locking devices for securing said arms immovably, and means to turn said arms when said locking devices are released to free said side wing sections and permit them to be turned rearwardly.

5. In an aeroplane having a body, supportlng' wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central section foi connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, and fixed braces carlill) firaiim ried by said body and extending laterally thereof and extension braces pivoted to said fixed braces and secured to the side wing sections.

6. In an aeroplane having a body, supporting wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central section for connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, said central section comprising upper and lower surfaces between which the inner ends of said side sections lie and are pivoted, afront filler strip between said upper and lower surfaces constituting an abutment for said side wing sections when they are laterally extended, and fixed braces carried by said body and extending laterally thereof and extension braces pivoted to said fixed braces and secured to the side wing sections.

7. In an aeroplane having a body, supporting wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central section for connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, said locking means comprising locking arms pivoted to the central section of the wings and adapted to lie transversely thereof as an abutment for said side wing sections when they are laterally extended, locking devices for securing said arms immovably, and fixed braces carried by said body and extending laterally thereof and extension braces pivoted to said fixed braces and secured to the side wing sections.

8. In an aeroplanehavingabody,supporting wings comprising a centrally disposed rigid section and side sections pivoted thereto on vertical axes, means enclosed within said central section for connecting said side sections together to move on their pivots in unison, means cooperating with said connecting means to turn said side sections from an extended position in transverse alignment with said central section to a position to the rear thereof and parallel to the body and vice versa, means to lock said side sections in transverse alignment, said locking means comprising locking arms pivoted to the central section of the wings and adapted to lie transversely thereof as an abutment for said side wing sections when they are laterally extended, locking devices for securing said arms immovably, means to turn said arms when said locking devices are released to free said side wing sections and permit them to be turned rearwardly, and fixed braces carried by said body and extending laterally thereof and extension braces pivoted to said fixed braces and secured to the side wing sections.

9. In aeroplanes, a body and supporting wings therefor, said wings comprising a central stationary section and two movable side sections, said central section comprising upper and lower surfaces spaced apart by a front filler strip, said side wing sections projecting into and pivoted to said central section and having front stop edges to engage said front filler strip as an abutment, said side wing sections having gear sectors, a pair of meshing gears journalled in said central wing section and meshing with said gear sectors and with each other, a turning shaft for one of said pair of gears, said shaft extending to said body, means to manipulate said shaft for the purposes specified, and means to lock said side wing sections in the extended position.

10. In aeroplanes, a body and supporting wings therefor, said wing comprising a central stationary section and two movable side sections, said central section comprising upper and lower surfaces spaced apart by a front filler strip, said side wing sections projecting into and pivoted to said central section and having front stop edges to engage said front filler strip as an abutment, said side wing sections having gear sectors, a pair of meshing gears journalled in said central wing section and meshing with said gear sectors and with each other, a turning shaft for one of said pair of gears, said shaft extending to said body, means to manipulate said shaft for the purposes specified, said side wing sections having rear stop edges, a pair of abutments pivoted in said central wing section and adapted to be extended laterally to engage said rear stop edges at times and to be projected longitudinally at other times, and means to lock said arms in their lateral positions.

1l. In aeroplanes, a body and supporting wings therefor, said wings comprising a central stationary section and two movable side sections, said central section comprising upper and lower surfaces spaced apart by a front filler strip, said side wing sections projecting into and pivoted to said central section and having front stop edges to engage said front filler strip as an abutment, said side wing sections having gear sectors, a pair of meshing gears journalled in said central wing section and meshing with said gear sectors and with each other, a turning shaft for one of said pair of gears, seid shaft extending to projected longitudinally at other times, and said body, means to manipulate said shaft means to look said arms in their lateral posifor the purposes specified, said side Wing seetions, said locking means comprising holes in 10 tions having rear stop edges, :1- pair of abutseid arms and locking screws on said central ments pivoted in said central Wing section wing section to enter said holes.

and adapted to be ext-ended laterally to engage said rear stop edges at times and to be CHARLES J. WAGNER.

L. ...Wei 

